


I can no Longer Pull the Strings, but I Will Again Soon

by CaptainCassidy



Category: One Piece
Genre: Abandonment, Alcohol, Angst, Biting, Blood (minor), Confusion, Cunnilingus, Doflamingo's POV, Dom Doflamingo, F/M, Female Character of Color, Hate Sex, Hate to Love, Lemon, Love/Hate, Oral, Oral Sex, Porn, Porn With Plot, Semi-dom female character, Sex, Smut, Turned on by taking orders, aggressive sex, implied sexism (minor), night club, whoops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-24
Updated: 2014-11-24
Packaged: 2018-02-26 22:17:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2668385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainCassidy/pseuds/CaptainCassidy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She was a fiery thing, and he had to tame her, no matter how long it took.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I Don't Want Your Respect, Just Your Devotion

**Author's Note:**

> Female OC is something between Italian, African American, and South American??? Wasn't really sure how to portray that but here you go.

　　His eyes followed every move she made, intentions hidden by trademark sunglasses. They hadn’t been on this island for long, but damn was it fun. The whole island pretty much made up one big club, and Doflamingo and his crew were certainly making the most of it. It had been a while since the pirates had taken a break, and their captain had decided that it was about time to kick back and relax, at least for a short while. Hey, it didn’t hurt to take a vacation once in a blue moon, did it?  
　　Not all of the crew was here, though, thankfully. The captain’s little brother had stayed behind on the ship to keep an eye on the younger members of his crew (the poor thing, he’d probably come back to find the heart pirate bruised and burnt beyond recognition). The club wasn’t really his scene anyways, a fact that had been made painfully clear way back when Doffy had first started going to them. How was he related to such a klutz?  
　　He was brought back by the sound of a woman’s voice, asking if he wanted something alcoholic and offering him a tray. The pirate captain took a drink, though he had no idea what it was, and flashed her a quick smile. She swooned, but was forced to move on to serve other customers, but not before turning back and winking at him. She was cute, but not his type.  
　　Leaning back on the heavily furred and downy couch, Doflamingo took a slow drink from the glass, pink liquid sweetening his tongue and sliding down his throat with a light burning sensation. His mind was already a bit fuzzy, and he could feel this going right to his head as well. The light buzz felt nice and helped the usually-stressed man let go a bit.  
　　Something in the crowd caught his eye, coming into view for only a brief moment before vanishing again. His lips turned up at the corners, though he tried to hide this by taking another sip of his drink. He debated on getting up and walking through the crowd to his goal, but decided against it; why bother when he could bring her right to him?  
　　Purring at the thought, the pirate captain brought up one hand, but paused when he saw her nearing him. She was by no means heading directly for him, instead just passing by, but that would be enough. Maybe he didn’t need to tug her in the right direction after all.  
　　Now that she was closer, he could get a good look at her. The woman was around his age, perhaps a touch younger, though she carried herself highly. Her eyes, as green as the shallow sea, were almond-shaped and cold, reminding him of a fox: shrewd and predatory. Just how he liked them.  
　　Her more defined features were what really caught his attention, though, at least from afar. She had curves like ocean waves, her heavily exaggerated hourglass-shaped body swaying in time with the music like palm trees flowing in the breeze. Dark, olive-brown skin stood out in the crowd, if only because of its exotic nature. What a prize, he thought, shifting his hips a bit uncomfortably.  
　　Jet black hair hung down to her mid-back, straight as a board though with a surprising amount of bounce to it. He wondered briefly how the hell she managed that, but pushed the thought aside. Good thing he had such good self control, otherwise he’d be asking the dumbest questions when he’d had one to many.  
　　Doflamingo shifted again, just slightly, extending one leg out a bit further than the other. The woman, clad in only a very leafy bikini, didn’t even notice the action, and promptly stumbled over his foot. Perfect-- or, should he say, whoops?  
　　His free arm shot out to catch her, wrapping around her torso and tugging her to him to keep her from hitting the ground. He made no attempt to hide the grin that spread across his face when she looked up at him.  
　　“Are you alright?” he asked, letting go of her and allowing her to stand. Now that she was so close, he could see how much smaller she was than him-- most people were tiny to him as it was, but she was particularly small. She didn’t appear to be any more than five feet, literally half his size, if that.  
　　Cute.  
　　“Fine,” she bit back, her voice filled with a lacy venom that got his blood pumping hot.  
　　“You’re welcome,” the pirate captain teased, taking the last sip of his drink before setting it on a tray one of the women walking by had been carrying. “Care to give me your name, or are you just going to stand there and stare at me bitterly all night?”  
　　It took her a moment to respond to that, as if she had been contemplating what to say. Thinking better than brushing him off, however, the woman pushed a stray lock of hair out of her face and answered, if a little coyly.  
　　“Kiana,” her eyes narrowed, “and you?”  
　　“Doflamingo,” he answered, keeping his voice as smooth as honey, “Captain of the Donquixote Pirates.” Kiana looked him over, as if to make sure he was who he said he was.  
　　“Doflamingo? My apologies,” she bowed to him, though the bitter tone was still hinted at in her voice. He licked his lips, getting a good look at her breasts as she leaned down. Never one to wait for anything, the pirate captain leaned forward, pressing two fingers to her chin and forcing her to look up at him again.  
　　“It’s not good to disrespect a pirate. I should punish you for being so sour with me,” Doffy purred, getting a good look at her.  
　　Her nose was rounded and turned up just slightly, and she was blessed with high cheekbones, giving her face a sharp look. This was softened, however, by her large eyes and generously thick lips, which had a brilliant aqua painted over them. Oh, that would get all over the place, wouldn’t it?  
　　Kiana didn’t flinch. She was a smart woman, he noted, as she gently pushed his hand away from her face and ran her own up his chest.  
　　“Don’t you think that’s a little harsh?” she asked, adding a bit of pressure to his chest in an attempt to get him to lean back. He complied, letting her come down over him. In order to keep her balance, Kiana had to put one knee up on the couch, almost putting her right between his legs.  
　　“Respect is important,” he drawled, one hand moving to her hip.  
　　“Oh, it is,” she smirked, suddenly pulling away from him, “but it’s so hard to come by these days.” And with that snippy remark, the woman turned away and walked off. Doflamingo was left extremely confused, intrigued, and a bit angry, but didn’t get up to pursue her. He’d never been rejected so bluntly before, especially not after mentioning his name.  
　　She glanced back at him, green eyes sharp and knowing. He grinned in response.  
　　This would be a fun little game.

　　x x x  
　　  
　　And thus the game was begun. Kiana, who he learned was quite the snake, would bait the man until he’d just about thought he’d won before slithering off, leaving him annoyed and usually horny. She had a way with him he couldn’t quite describe; her nasty attitude rivaled his, and her manipulative abilities were rather impressive for someone who couldn’t pull the strings of life, like himself.  
　　At any point, he could have restrained her and taken what he wanted, but by the three day mark, it wasn’t about the sex. He wanted her to give in to him completely, mind and body. Then and only then would he have won their game, and he would accept no less. Doffy was, after all, a rather sore loser.  
　　She, however, proved to be more of a challenge than he had expected. Kiana was very, very good at making him think he’d won; and multiple times a night, too. By the end of it, the pirate captain was so furious that he had to restrain himself from slaughtering the woman, but that only added to the flames of his desire. The victory would be so much sweeter if she was kept alive to see it through. Maybe afterwords he’d kill her, just out of spite.  
　　By night five, Doflamingo was gritting his teeth so hard in anger that he’d almost bitten through his glass. Fuck her, fuck this island, fuck the seas around it; this was absolutely not worth the trouble. Yet, there he was, sitting on that same damn couch, leaning back with his legs open, watching as she leaned over him and spoke down to him.  
　　Fire pumped through his veins at every word, the usual angry crease in his forehead becoming one of his most prominent features. How dare this common woman speak to a former Celestial Dragon in such a manner, how dare she play this game with him, and how dare she hook and reel him in like some sort of floundering cod being baited into the jaws of another hungry fish. It absolutely sickened him, and turned him on to no end. This woman, who he had yet to figure out, had effectively consumed his time on the island, had him ignoring his crew, and put knots in his already tied stomach. No bitch had ever done this to him, and while he hated it more than anything, he kept coming back for more.  
　　  
　　It took a solid two weeks. Two weeks, and he managed to get her far enough away from the music and flashing lights that he could corner her against one of the swaying palm trees, overlooking the darkened beach and calm waves beside them. Stars could just barely be seen above them, as the light from the island obscured their view.  
　　And despite all this, Kiana was smiling, sidestepping him and turning to dash down to the beach, pausing only to glance back at him. He knew exactly what she was doing, but the jolt of excitement that ran through him was impossible to ignore, and the pirate captain found himself jumping down after her, his feet heavy in the sand as he followed.  
　　She couldn’t outrun him even if she tried. Doflamingo was on her in seconds, grabbing her arms and yanking her around to face him, leaning down to press a rough kiss to her aqua-painted lips. He didn’t care about the fact that the makeup would get everywhere, even though he could feel it smear against his lips as she pressed back into the kiss, allowing him to deepen it with only a flick of his tongue. The taste of coconut and pineapple was a refreshing change from the bitter-sweet drinks he’d had that night, and he took no shame in savoring the flavor.  
　　He didn’t expect her arms to wrap around his neck, but moreover, he didn’t expect the shock-wave of pleasure it sent down his spine, into his gut, and finally coming to rest in his groin. His face was heating up, as if he’d drank far to much. It sort of felt like that, too, and he went over exactly what he’d had since the sun went down. Doflamingo was a big man; it took a very strong drink to knock him dizzy, and he couldn’t think of a single one that would have done it. Of course, it could have been a combination of what he had, but his mind was a little to foggy to register that right now.  
　　She pulled back and he growled, low and feral, snapping his teeth and tugging her back to him. No, he wasn’t done, and she wasn’t going anywhere until he was. For whatever reason, Kiana seemed to understand this, and let herself be pulled back, her lips crashing against his once more. He felt her fingers dig into his hair, her nails scratching his scalp lightly. The action roused a groan from the larger man, his own hand coming up to rest on the back of her head, keeping her in place.  
　　Leaning down like this was getting a bit tiresome, so the pirate decided to bring her up to his level instead. One arm wrapped around her waist while the other tugged her up by her rear.  
　　Heh, soft.  
　　Kiana complied, pressing herself against him and letting herself be lifted, her legs wrapping around his waist. The feeling of her body against his was electric, and he could feel his heart racing. The sound of his own blood pumping through him nearly drowned out the low moans and gasps escaping from the two, the only other sound being the ocean waves lapping against the shore.  
　　In the back of his mind, Doflamingo knew that there was something off about this. Maybe it was the effort he’d gone through to get to this point, the knots in his stomach, the strange feeling that shook his body when she touched him, or how quickly he forgot about anything else when she was in his sights. It could have been how much he thought about her, his own hatred for the woman keeping her on his mind more frequently than he would have liked, driving his frustrations further.  
　　Whatever bothered him, however, was pushed aside in favor of the intoxicating feeling of skin on skin, her body wrapped around his, holding him in place. Everything else seemed trivial and unimportant now, his entire world revolving around hearing the delicious little noises she made against his lips.  
　　He needed to get her away from here. To his ship, a hotel, a back room, the alley, the forest-- anywhere but here. It was to open, and he didn’t want anyone interrupting his victory. The unfortunate fool who happened by them would pay the price in blood, that was for certain.  
　　Kiana pulled away again, and just as he went to snap at her for it, she grabbed his jaw, putting her finger over his lips as if to shush him. He didn’t appreciate this action in the slightest and had to resist the urge to bite her for it.  
　　“My home is nearby,” she said quickly, quelling his tempter a bit before adding, “put me down, I’ll show you.” Doflamingo simply grunted in response, complying despite his obvious reluctance. If she tried to slink away now, there would be hell to pay. The woman quickly turned, grabbing his hand and tugging him along behind her.  
　　She wasn’t kidding about her home being nearby. It was a bit further down the beach, just far enough out that the sounds of the rest of the island were almost muted by the ocean waves and trees blowing in the breeze, to the right and down a short path into the jungle. It was a modest home, he noted, made more like a very sophisticated tribal hut rather than the more modern places he’d seen closer to the island’s center. Did all the islanders that couldn’t afford living closer to the clubs live like this?  
　　He let himself be pulled inside, grimacing as he realized how small the thing was (in comparison to him, anyways). The whole structure was maybe two hundred eighty feet by two hundred forty feet, consisting of a tiny kitchen/living room combo, a bathroom, and a bedroom in the back. That, of course, is where she was taking him.  
　　Though small, it was a cozy room. The decorations were exotic, reminding him of far-off islands he’d visited once or twice on his adventures. For the first time, he wondered if she was really a local here; perhaps she had lived elsewhere before, somewhere much more traditional? And if that was so, why would she want to come to a place like this?  
　　Doflamingo was pulled from his thoughts when his tie was tugged. He leaned down, happily meeting her demands and pressing a hard kiss to Kisana’s lips. After a moment, the pirate looked away, glancing at the bed. It was far to small for him to ever get comfortable on, but it was something.  
　　She sat down on the end of it, and he got down on his knees in front of her. Even like this, he was nearly looking down at her.  
　　“Alright,” she huffed, working to unbutton his shirt, “get to work, pirate.” It took a moment for him to realize what she meant by this, though when he did, a mix of anger and excitement shot through him.  
　　“You don’t--” he went to snap, being silenced when his head was pulled down to her chest.  
　　“Make the rules? Funny, you seem to be obeying them well enough,” the captain scowled, his hands holding her hips as he started to kiss the sensitive skin between her breasts. His thumb began massaging her thigh, slowly moving inward.  
　　As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. His cock twitched at the idea of her giving him orders, and, despite himself, he began to do as she’d instructed. One finger hooked her bikini bottom, starting to tug it down, though he kept his mouth working on her chest. When he felt her flick the garment to the floor, one hand came up to remove her top. The knot holding it up came undone with a quick tug, and it too fell to the floor.  
　　He pulled back a bit, getting a good look at her supple breasts. How did she walk upright with these things? Her back must have hurt from having to carry so much weight on her chest. Jesus Christ, those things were big.  
　　Ignoring his moment of ignorance, the pirate captain went back to work. His hand came up to grope one breast, while he moved his head so that he could nip and suck the other. Kiana seemed to be enjoying this, because she tilted her head back and gasped, her fingers again weaving into his hair.  
　　He hated to admit it, but her hands holding him in place felt surprisingly good. They were stable, keeping a firm grip, and making for a decent anchor into reality, which would otherwise be slowly slipping from him. The hold wasn’t... negative, either. No, it felt different; he was used to hate-fucking, not-- not whatever this was. He wasn’t sure of himself, and for a moment, a knot of worry twisted in his stomach.  
　　A slight tug to his hair brought him back to the present, and he glanced up to see what the other wanted. She was looking down at him, eyes cold and narrowed, as if waiting for something. Damn, this woman didn’t mess around, did she? He felt compelled to comply, trailing kisses down her chest and over her stomach, pausing for only a second just below her navel before continuing on.  
　　Doflamingo paused again just before reaching her clit. Oddly enough, he felt like he had to think about what he’d do first, while usually he was confident that whatever he did would be perfect. But no, not this time. He wanted to impress this woman, give her a taste of something she’d never had before and never would have again. The thought of turning this otherwise strong female into a breathy mess beneath him was the most arousing thought he’d had since he got on this godforsaken island. That would surely teach her a lesson, too; no one rejects Donquixote Doflamingo, especially not a woman.  
　　Deciding to play it by ear, the pirate captain dragged his tongue across her heat, feeling her hips twitch as he did so. Her breathing remained surprisingly even as he began to flick the muscle across her outer lips, working his way in from there. Kiana huffed and twitch on occasion, but seemed to be able to keep her composure quite well. This pissed him off, and the vein in his forehead promptly made itself visible.  
　　A sudden burst of rage overtook him, and the Devil Fruit user dug his nails into her hips, turning from careful to aggressive in a matter of seconds. His tongue practically attacked her clit, his teeth moving over the sensitive bud on occasion, threatening to bite should she decide to misbehave. He didn’t feel completely in control, and it was starting to drive him crazy.  
　　Kiana had hardly expected the sudden change and yelped as his tongue began abusing her. Her hips bucked and she moaned, loud and high pitched, as he continued to work her with his tongue. Yes, that was much better; she would be screaming and begging him for more by the end of the night.  
　　“...mingo! D-Doflamingo!” she wheezed, and he felt her legs wrap around his shoulders. Good! She was starting to get the picture! He couldn’t help but grin, though he knew his victory wasn’t secure yet. No, he had quite a bit more work to do. Good thing his tongue was as strong as the rest of him; the average man would probably be having a hard time by now, weak bastards. “Gods! Fuck, yes!”  
　　He practically purred against her lower lips, moving to pump his tongue in and out of her. God, she tasted sweet. He’d never been with a woman like this, but damn, he was enjoying it. No, he loved it. Every gasp, every moan, every twitch of her hips and every time she breathed his name, it was more intoxicating than the local drinks. With each flick of his tongue he found that he wanted more, more, more, and when he felt her inner walls clench around him it was to soon for them both.  
　　No! He wasn’t done yet, and he wouldn’t let her be, either. The pirate continued to suck and nip and tease, and he relished in hearing her gasps of surprise and yells of sheer ecstasy. She would never forget this night, or him, or any moment they’d spent together on this fucking island, and he was going to make damn sure of that! Hell, he wouldn’t rest until he did!  
　　Sooner than before, she was coming again, and he had to force himself away from her. The pirate captain violently tugged her legs off his shoulders, pouncing the woman in a manner akin to a tiger jumping to strike its prey. She must have seen this, too, because her eyes widened in shock as she was pinned down on the bed, his lips crashing against her with a painful clack of teeth on teeth as he aggressively invaded her mouth. Her body arched beneath him, her hands coming up to claw at his collarbone and chest, making his head spin.  
　　Doflamingo pulled back, just long enough to rip off his tie, shirt, and the damn feathery coat clinging to his back. Kiana seemed to stunned to do anything, instead just watching him in pure fascination as he came back down on her, his teeth sinking into her shoulder far enough to draw blood. She yelped and might have tried to strike him, he wasn’t sure, but he didn’t stop. He moved down, leaving bite marks all along his way, before pausing to abuse her breasts. They would absolutely not come out of this without some injury, that was for certain, and made that much clearer to the woman as he sank his teeth into one.  
　　Kiana hissed, and this time he was certain that she had struck him-- in the head, it seemed. He saw a flash of white for a moment before regaining himself and pulling away, only enough to look down at her. Would she try to flee now? No, he’d caught her, she had no right to run from him, and--  
　　His violent thoughts were cut off when she reached up to kiss him, long and hard, wrapping her arms around his neck. Doflamingo saw white again, but for a different reason; the kiss wasn’t abusive, wasn’t hateful in the slightest. Instead, it was filled with a passion he couldn’t describe and, to his horror, he felt himself returning the intensity of it.  
　　What was the matter with him? This sort of thing... it had never happened before. The nervousness, the fury, the desire-- emotions that he rarely tied together winding and coiling within him, shaking him to the core, and he liked it. He felt as if he were on one of the local drugs; dizzy, confused, but pining after the high it gave him. No one had ever caught him off guard, not since he was a child, but here he felt as if he’d been blindsided by this woman. Damn her, damn this island, damn it all!  
　　She pulled away after a moment, looking up at him with those eyes, those fucking sea-green things and he found himself frozen in place for only a second. No, no, no, this was stupid, what was his problem? Fury started to build in his chest again, but for some reason, he couldn’t quite reach a boiling point. Instead it only stewed there, cooling down with each passing minute. Rage was what he turned to when he didn’t know what else to do, and now, his faithful companion had left him.  
　　  
　　From that point on, things became a blur of actions and sounds. Kiana’s gasps and moans as he pounded into her, and his own grunts and huffs as he did so. When he’d lost his pants he couldn’t remember, but it hardly mattered. Fuck, he was practically dripping with sweat, his spiky blonde hair nearly plastered to his head as he pumped his cock in and out of the woman beneath him.  
　　He barely remembered coming, the feeling flashing through his body and shaking him into a state of weakness, his eyes closing involuntarily. Their breaths were the loudest thing the room had to offer and, soon, he found himself unable to hear anything at all.  
　　  
x x x

　　His own snoring woke him up. Well, this wasn’t going to be the most graceful morning he’d ever had, that was for sure. Doflamingo felt sore in a few choice places, and gross after having slept in his own sweat. He probably stank, too, and the pirate scowled at the thought.  
　　As he went to roll onto his back, he realized that there was a weight on his arm and pressing against his chest. It took him a moment to remember exactly where he was, but as the previous night started to come back to him, the Devil Fruit user felt more awake. He took a moment to go through yesterday’s events, a knot beginning to coil itself in his stomach as he did so. No, fuck that feeling, he was going back to sleep.  
　　Remaining on his side and with Kiana pressed up against him, he swung his arm back over her and relaxed a bit. He could feel his sunglasses sitting awkwardly on his face, but he couldn’t bring himself to give a damn. His face started to grow hot, and it took him a second to realize the feeling of embarrassment washing over him.  
　　“What the fuck,” he grumbled, turning his head so that his face was directly planted in the pillow. God, he felt stupid. Like some kid caught with something they shouldn’t have, even though he should be proud that he stole it in the first place. The fuck was in the drinks on this island?  
　　Kiana shifted, and it sent a jolt through him. Was she going to wake up? Would she kick him out or beg him to stay, and which would he do? Fuck! This was so stupid, why should he care either way? It would be more like him to just get up and leave, trying not to hit his head on every fucking door frame on the way out.  
　　He felt her push against him, nuzzling into his chest, and his will to leave practically melted away. Kiana opened here eyes, blinking a few times in the dim light of the room. Doflamingo turned so that he was facing her again; after all, having his face in the pillow would probably look stupid.  
　　A chuckle made him question his choice, however, and the pirate captain gave the other a cross look. He must have looked like an idiot, with his hair all messed up and his sunglasses askew, revealing his tired, old eyes to the other. Yet, to his surprise, she shifted upwards, planting a careful kiss to his lips. Part of him wanted to pull away, but another part of him kept the man in place.  
　　When they broke the kiss, Kiana’s hand came up to fix his glasses. He resisted the urge to flinch, instead focusing on exactly what he would do next. Her words cut his thoughts short.  
　　“You’ve won, so you’ll leave the island now, right?” it was more of a statement than a question, and sounded much to cold for his tastes. “Pirates travel, after all, and you’ve kept your crew on this island for much to long. They must be annoyed,” she smirked, pulling away from him and turning to lay on her back. The absence of her touch left a strange ache in his skin, though he refrained from moving towards her.  
　　“Some win,” he scoffed, “I was expecting you to care a little more than that.”  
　　“Pity, I’m not good with emotion. Sorry, Doflamingo,” the woman shrugged, and suddenly his “victory” felt old and stale. No, she wasn’t breaking in front of him, he hadn’t won yet. How could she stay this strong for that amount of time? It confused him, but moreover...  
　　It posed a challenge.  
　　“Neither am I,” he growled, rolling atop her, “so I guess we have that in common.” Kiana remained unfazed by his actions, but he continued regardless, “You really don’t want me to beat you, do you?”  
　　She smirked.  
　　“Something like that.”  
　　“Oh?”  
　　“So what are you going to do now, pirate?” the woman asked, propping herself up on her elbows and pressing her chest against his. Her question held an air of genuine curiosity, and to his surprise, he found himself thinking about how to answer. Their game wasn’t over, but he needed to get off this island and back out to sea. There was work to be done, especially considering the mission he intended to send Vergo on within a few months. He didn’t have any time left to dick around here.  
　　“I’m leaving as soon as my ship is ready to sail,” he answered, watching her face for some sort of reaction. What he was expecting he would never know, but whatever it was, she wouldn’t give it to him. Her expression remained neutral, if relatively interested.  
　　“Then I suggest you get moving--”  
　　“You’re coming too,” his abrupt statement caught them both off guard, though he hid his own surprise with a smirk. “I don’t feel like I’ve won yet, so until I do, I’ll be keeping you around. Get dressed,” Doflamingo got off her, sitting up and stretching, being careful not to hit the ceiling. He was sore; he’d slept curled up so that he could fit on this stupid bed, and that just didn’t suit him.  
　　Kiana remained silent as he started to dress, though he could feel her eyes on him. He didn’t speak further-- there was no need to. The pirate had made himself clear, and she’d oblige, like it or not. Standing (in the loosest meaning of the term, as he was practically crawling in this tiny place), the Devil Fruit user walked through the house and outside, where he could properly stretch his massive form.  
　　There was a cool breeze blowing in from the ocean, and the smell of saltwater felt refreshing after having spent such an active night in such a small place. Pity he didn’t have time for a proper bath, at least, not until his ship was back out to sea.  
　　The door creaked behind him, and he turned back to look at the other. She was wearing a bit more modest clothing, a blue and silver coat with a high collar, shorts, and a pair of silver heels. He liked the look, but didn’t say anything.  
　　“Lead the way,” Kiana huffed, crossing her arms in mock disappointment.  
　　“Lead the way, Young Master,” he corrected with a smirk, leaning down over her and waiting for her to repeat it.  
　　“Lead the way, Young Master,” she grumbled, rolling her eyes at him, though the action seemed playful. He didn’t feel offended by it, as he usually would have.  
　　“Good,” he mock-praised, “now come on. I don’t care how hungover those bastards are, we’re setting sail the second I’m on that ship.”


	2. Uselessness Will not be Tolerated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some choices are for the better.

　　It was quite a while before he truly felt as if he’d won their game. Months passed, and as they did, her devotion to him became more and more clear. Finally, it reached the point where she would beg him to stay beside her, to be careful on his journeys to come back safely. She held him close, told him she couldn’t bear to lose him, and he had won, once and for all. Their game had ended, and she became an annoyance.  
　　And yet, the urge to kill her never surfaced, neither did the urge to abandon her. It was sort of nice, returning to his quarters each night with Kiana waiting, ready to please him or just curl up beside him to calm his nerves. Her loyalty was unfaltering, like that of the rest of his crew, and he felt a sort of kinship with her that he couldn’t explain.  
　　Rocinante seemed to be greatly amused by this. Though he didn’t speak, he’d childishly doodle hearts on things regarding the two, and silently joke about how his elder brother was acting. He knew the other was just playing, but something about it bothered him to no end, and there were a few nights where he would lay awake and think about this.  
　　The constant trouble the Marines were giving his crew didn’t make it any easier for him. He had actually been worried a few times that they would overtake the crew, and the last thing he wanted to see was his family taken into custody. However, of them all, there was only one who couldn’t fight to defend themselves, and this fact was starting to weigh on him heavily.  
　　Kiana served no direct use, and the logical part of his mind told him it would be wise to get rid of her. She’d be better off without the rowdy crew, always looking for trouble and finding it without an issue. Yet, he knew the woman would never willingly leave; she was to loyal, to smitten by him to think reasonably.  
　　Sometimes he cursed taking her aboard his ship. Had he just left her there and swallowed his pride, he wouldn’t be in this situation. But here he was, unable to turn back the clock, and faced with one of the many hard choices he’d come to know in life: risk her dying out on the seas, or leaving her on one of the islands where she would be, and stay, much safer.

　　It was after a terrible storm that the ship managed to dock once more, on a little island off the coast of West Blue. Members of the crew were sent to gather things, and told to return by sunset. Unbeknownst to Kiana, however, the group would be leaving well before then.  
　　She looked up at him and smiled before disembarking. Doflamingo leaned down, rested his hand behind her head and pulled her in for a kiss, promising he’d see her when she returned. The ache in his heart was dulled, knowing that this would be much better than keeping her around. Besides, he’d lost a lot of people; he’d get over it.

　　His crew didn’t question him when they noticed Kiana wasn’t on board. They knew better, and instead, simply went along with his orders as per usual. Rocinante gave him an oddly cross look, but even he seemed to understand; how could he not? They’d both lost so much, surely he’d do the same thing, wouldn’t he? No-- of course he would. They were brothers, and were of the same in mindset.  
　　Still, he found himself watching the island fade into the distance as they sailed away. Maybe he’d see her again, and perhaps have a Devil Fruit for her to eat. She wouldn’t be useless, then, and would be welcomed onto his crew. Perhaps when he was a king, he’d send for her, and burn down every worthless settlement that got in his way.  
　　Once he was in control of this ruthless world, he would take whatever he wanted. He and Roci would be safe from harm, and his crew-- his family-- would have all the power they needed to expel any enemy that ever dared face them. It may have been a cruel way to think, but he was cruel; one had to be in order to survive in this piece of shit world.  
　　  
　　Deep down, he knew he’d never see her again.


	3. Pirates are Born, not Made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things don't always work out the way they do in fairytales, but some wishes are to meaningful to give up on.

　　Tears streamed down her face, though the woman remained as stoic as ever. The salty droplets were the only indicator of her distress, though inside her mind was in turmoil. Thus is the way of life, she knew, and thus is the way of a pirate; there one moment, gone the next. If she took a moment to really think about it, the ships absence was no surprise.  
　　Still, Kiana remained standing on the docks for some time, looking out into the open ocean and wondering where he was, where he’d go, and if he’d ever come back. Damn pirates, damn them all to Hell! They were all the same, those bastards!  
　　Despite her thoughts, she couldn’t bring herself to hate him for what he’d done. Doflamingo might have been a terrible man, but there was a shred of humanity left in him. He cared deeply for his crew, his family, and she took some comfort in knowing that he’d left her here to keep her out of danger. This is what she told herself, anyways, refusing to believe anything else.  
　　  
　　Kiana had money, but not enough. She found a cheap place to stay and rested for the night, curling up on her side and wondering how she would make ends meat. There were job opportunities, sure, but not for her. No one would take a woman like her in, as they knew she’d be more of a problem than an asset.  
　　Remembering that she had been holding something, the woman moved to set it on the nightstand beside her. With that done, and unable to look at the item, Kiana turned back around and pulled the blanket over herself, not caring that she was fully clothed. It didn’t matter, she just needed to sleep.  
　　  
　　A small toy flamingo sat on the desk. It looked as if it had been made for a child.  
　　  
　　x x x  
　　  
　　Doflamingo was right about one thing; he never would see her again. A little over a decade later, Kiana died of illness, much like his own mother had. Even on her deathbed, however, people quoted her speaking highly of him, and asking to see him just once more. Though they all knew it wouldn’t happen, she did have one, final wish. This, she knew, could be carried out.  
　　The two that sat beside her listened solemnly to her request, fighting tears. As her last breath left her, one of them stood, turning away and moving towards the door. The other fell against the bed, against the woman, and broke into uneven, unbidden sobs. He cursed the filthy world they lived in, the cruelty of others, and all those in power, for he knew they had doctors that could have saved her, if only they had the money.  
　　  
　　Some time later, both figures watched as she was lowered into a shabby, poorly-dug grave. A piece of carved wood was erected where she was laid to rest, for they could not afford stone, and the two hung their heads. Still, her final wish echoed in their mind, and the fires of wanderlust burned in their chests.  
　　Though they assumed they thought the same, both were very different. With hope of a future on one mind, and the bitter scrawling of revenge on the other, the duo set out. They snuck aboard a pirate ship, no destination in mind, and made for the next island the ship would dock at.  
　　They had no problem stealing, lying, and cheating to get what they needed too. The world had taught them to be stoic, hardened boys that looked out only for one another. It wasn’t difficult; they had never been used to much, and knew how to talk their way out of a bad situation. People started to recognize them in West Blue, calling the two the Birds of the Islands, for they would be there for one moment and migrate the next.  
　　  
　　It wasn’t a surprise. After all, the locals said piracy ran in their veins.

**Author's Note:**

> yooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo


End file.
